By Thomas Lott
KANNAPOLIS â It took 614 days and a rainout scare, but after a lost season and a brand new ballpark sitting all but vacant for nearly a year, the Cannon Ballers finally celebrated their inaugural season opener at Atrium Health Ballpark on Tuesday.
While they would have liked to celebrate it with a win the team did fall to the Down East Wood Ducks 8-4, but that did not put a damper on the excitement throughout the stadium. Some of that might have come from the anxiety that thunderstorms bring to baseball.
The rain fell onto the field up to less than an hour before game time and there were certainly fears the first game at Atrium Health Ballpark would be pushed back one more day. But at about a quarter after 6 the skies started to clear. Baseball was going to be played and owner Andy Sandler was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.